James



Aug. 11, 1959 B. Y. JAMES LEG smucm FOR GIFT BOXES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28. 1953 PEHM INVENTOR. 677/ K Mamas Aug. 11, 1959 Filed Dec. 28. 1953 B. Y. JAMES LEG STRUCTURE FOR GIFT BOXES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 JNVENTOR. 6/'// K Mamas 2,899,165 Patented Aug. 11, 1959 LEG STRUCTURE FOR GIFT BOXES Bill Y. James, Miami, Okla. Application December 28, 1953, Serial No. 400,581

4 Claims. (Cl. 248-189) This invention relates to the decorative arts and particularly to accessories for or improvements in gift boxes and the like, the primary object being to provide a support in the nature of leg structure adapted for attachment to the box or other polygonal object, to elevate the same and thereby add distinctiveness to the box-like article for display or other purposes.

It is the most important object of the present invention to provide a support for boxes taking the form of an article of manufacture, preformed from a blank of predetermined size and configuration and adapted for folding into proper form to permit attachment to the box.

Another important object of the instant invention is the provision of a support that includes an L-shaped body having laterally extending flaps disposed in underlying attached engagement with the boX when operably associated therewith.

Still further objects include in at least some of the forms of the invention, the provision of upstanding Wings coplanar with the legs and embracing the proximal edges of the box when the article is attached thereto; the way in which, in a preferred form, the aforementioned legs are formed of a pair of sections integrally joined by a line of bend; the manner of integrally attaching the flaps to the legs by lines of fold; the manner of attachment of the wings to the box to be supported by the leg structure; and many more minor objects including important details of construction, all of which will be made clear as the following specification progresses.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a perspective view of one form of leg structure for gift boxes made according to my present invention, illustrating the same operably mounted on a gift box or the like.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the leg structures shown in Fig. 1, but entirely removed from the gift box.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blank from which the article shown in Figs. 1 and 2 is made.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary, detailed cross sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary, detailed crosssectional view taken on line VV of Fig. l.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of leg structure for gift boxes made pursuant to another embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the blank from which the leg structure of Fig. 6 is formed.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of another of the present invention.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the blank from which the leg structure of Fig. 8 is made and showing the box supporting flaps mounted thereon.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of still another form of leg structure made according to the principles of the present invention; and

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the blank from whidh the article shown in Fig. 10 is produced.

modification Merchandisers are generally striving to improve upon the appearance of gift wrappings and much has been; done along the line of the coverings for the boxes or containers as well as decorative bows and the like wrapped thereon. Notwithstanding the progress that has been made in this respect, it has been found that the entire gift can be made more distinctive by projecting the same in relief thereby causing it to attract attention and to provide a more pleasing over-all appearance. As illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, such elfect is produced by providing leg structure for the gift boxes which is broadly designated in Figs. 1 and 4 by the numeral 10. The leg structure or support forming the subject matter of the present invention, is particularly adapted for use in connection with polygonal boxes terminating in a plurality of corners 12 (see Fig. 4).

The leg structure shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, is in the nature of an article of manufacture and is initially produced from a blank 14 taking the shape illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Any suitable bendable material, preferably of an inexpensive nature such as heavy paper or cardboard, may be employed for producing the blank 14 and when the same is stamped, out or otherwise made, a pair of opposed notches 16 are formed in the ends thereof adjacent one longitudinal edge of the blank 14, A pair of transverse lines of severance 18 are continued into lines of bend 20 parallel with a central,

transverse line of fold 22. A pair of median, longitudinal lines of fold 24 extend between notches 16 and lines of severance 18 at the point of juncture between lines of severance l8 and lines of bend 20.

Such formation of the blank 14 presents a number of distinctly sub-divided portions which when disposed as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, by proper folding and bending includes the following parts:

(a) A pair of by line of fold 22.

(b) A pair of elongated sections 30 and 32, separated from panels 26 and 28 by lines of bend 20.

(c) A pair of flaps 34 and 36, separated from panels upon the panels 26 and 28, the free ends of the sections 30 and 32 will substantially meet at the line of fold 22.

The blank 14 is thereupon bent upon the line of fold 22 to dispose the panels 26 and 28 and therefore the sections 30 and 32 at right angles relatively as best seen in Fig. 2. Thereupon the flaps 34 and 36 are positioned at right angles to the sections 30 and 32 and therefore, to the panels 26 and 28 by bending the blank 14 on the lines of fold 24. There is presented, therefore, in the finished article, an L-shaped body having a pair of legs each of which consists of a pair of sections, one of which is made up of sections 30 and 32, and the other of which is composed of the lowerhalf of the panels 26 and 28. Such double-walled legs are broadly designated by the numerals 38 and 40 and theupper halves of the panels 26 and 28 presenting a pair of upstanding wings, coplanar with the outermost sections oflegs 38 and 40, are designated by the numerals 42 and 44.

When the article is placed in use, the corner 12 of box polygonal panels 26 and 28, sep-arated' may be secured thereto by means of spots of adhesive 46 either initially applied to the flaps 34 and 36 at the time of manufacture, or applied immediately prior to affixing the legs to the box 10.- It is also seen that the upstanding wings 42 and 44 embrace the proximal upstanding edges of the box 10, as shown in Figs. land 4. It is unnecessary to join the sections 30 and 32 to the panels 26 and 28 for the same will remain in overlapped engagement therewith when the flaps 34 and 36 are joined to the bottom face of the box but adhesive or other means of affixa tion between the sections 30 and 32 and the panels 26 and 28 may be used if desired. 7 p V V The article of manufacture shown in Fig.6 of the drawing, is made from blank 1 14 (Fig 'l), that is subdivided into a pair of identical panels 126 and '128 by a central, transverse line of fold 122. A pair of longitudinal lines of fold 124 in the blank 144 present a pair of flaps 134 and 136 and triangular shaped notches 116 in the blank 114 present a pair of triangular shapedwings 142 and 144 coplanar with that part of the panels 126 and 128 below the lines of fold 124. I l 7 When the blank 114 is folded on the line 122 to dispose the panels 126 and 128- at right angles relatively as shown in Fig. 6, and when the flaps 134 and 136 are folded inwardly on lines 124 there is presented an article of manufacture for supporting boxes that includes a pair of legs 138 and 140 that differ from legs 38 and 40 only in that the same are of single ply. The article shown in Fig. 6 differs from that illustrated by Fig. 2 of the drawings additionally in that the wings 142 and 144 which embrace the vertical edges of the box are triangularly shaped and the uppermost edges extend upwardly from the flaps 134 and 136 at an angle converging at the uppermost end of the line of fold 122. Adhesive 146 on the flaps 134 and 136 may be utilized to attach the support to the lowermost face of a gift box.

In Fig. 9 of the drawings there is illustrated a blank 214 capable of producing leg structure such as illustrated in Fig. 8. Blank 214 is sub-divided into a pair of identical panels 226 and 228 by a median, transverse lineof fold 222. A pair of L-shaped members 233 and 235 initially separate from the blank 214 are attached to the panels 226 and 228 respectively, in any suitable manner such as byuse of staples'237 and 239. The members 233 and 235 are sub-divided by lines of fold 224 into flaps 234 and 236 and sections 230 and 232.

Blank 214 is first folded on line 222 to dispose the panels 226 and 228 at right angles relatively and theflaps 234 and 236' are thereupon disposed in perpendicular relationship to the panels 226 and 228 by folding on lines 224. There is presented therefore, a support as shown in Fig. 8 that includes a pair of legs 238 and 240, one section whereof constitutes the lowermost halves of the panels'226 and 228, and another section of the legs 238' and 240 being composed of sections 230 and 232; The upper halves of 'the panels 226 and 228 present wings 242 and 244 that embrace the vertical edges of the gift box above the wings 234 and 236- when the box is posi-- tioiied' upon the latter and attached thereto such as by use of adhesive 246. l

Blank 314 shown in Fig. 11 of the drawings, is subdivided into a pair of panels 326 and 328 by a transverse;

line of fold 322. A V-shaped notch 316 in'theblank31-4 converges at one end of the line of fold 322-and longitudinal lines of fold 324 similarly merge with the notch 316, at its apex and with the said one end of the line of fold 322. The lines of fold32'4and the notch 316* set out a pair of flaps 334 and 336 and the three lines'of fold 322, 324, 324 present a pair'of legs 338 and 340, the=lat' ter of which are scalloped or otherwise decoratively formed along the inclined edges thereof, as clearly'se'en inFigs. 10 and 11.

The article shownin' Fig.110 is formed by bending the blank'314-on line of fold 322so that the legs338and 340 are]: perpendicular relatively and by folding on'lines'3'24 4 to dispose the flaps 334 and 336 at right angles to the legs 338 and 340.

There is also shown in Fig. 10 an alternate manner of attachment of the leg support to the box consisting of adhesive tapes 346 secured to the flaps 334 and 336.

It is noteworthy that the article of manufacture shown in Fig. 10 has particular utility for supporting boxes that may not have the precise polygonal form of box 10 shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and particularly to that type of gift box that does not have a number of right angle faces presenting a corner as at 12 in Fig. 4, capable of nesting in the lines of fold 22, 122 and 222, as the case may be.

It is now clear that the foregoing objects may be accomplished through employment of any one of the various embodiments hereinabove set forth and that a gift box may be attractively supported through the use of any one of the leg structures since in each case there is included an L-shaped body composed of a pair of integrally interconnected legs joined by a line of fold and disposed at right angles to eachother. Additionally, each form of the inventioncontemplates. the utilization of an underlying fiap that is particularly adapted for attachment to the box and all unsightly parts, particularly those that are used for attachment, are completely hidden from view when thesupport is properly attached to the box as above set forth.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent is:

1. As an article of manufacture, a disposable device for supporting a gift box at one corner of the latter, said structure comprising an initially flat, elongated blank of bendable material having a median transverse line of fold dividing the sameinto a pair of identical relatively normal, upright panels, each panel having a median, transverse line of bend extending partially thereacross presentin'g a pair of opposed, rectangular sections folded inwardly along said lines of bend in overlapping relationship to the innermost faces of corresponding panels, the free ends of said sections being juxtaposed at the line of fold between thepanels, thereby disposing the sections in perpendicular relationship, said blank having lines of severance transversely thereof in alignment with the lines of bend, presenting a pair of box-supporting flaps integral with corresponding sections, there being lines of fold between the flaps and the sections along which the flaps are folded into horizontal, perpendicular relationship to the panels and sections, said panels having box embracing wings extending upwardly beyond the sections and the flaps.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, said blank having notches at the ends thereof bordering the fiaps and the sections whereby to space both flaps outwardly from said first mentioned line of fold and adjacent corresponding lines of bend. p

3. A blank for forming a disposable, decorative support for a corner of a gift box comprising a substantially rectangular sheet of bendable material having opposed notches at the ends thereof adjacent one longitudinal edge of the sheet, a" median transverse line of fold subdividing the same into a pair of substantially L-shaped panels. saidblank having a pair of transverse lines of bend intermediate each panel'respe'ctively extending from the other longitudinal edge of the blank to the longitudinal axis thereof and continuing in transverse lines of severance to said one longitudinal edge of the blank, presenting a pair of flap's a'nd a-p'air of sections adjacent the notches, there being longitudinal lines of fold in the blank separating the flaps from corresponding sections.

4. As an 'articleof manufacture, a decorative support for gift boxes comprising a disposable, L-shaped body of bendable material} having a line of fold and a pair of relatively perpendicular; double-walled, upright legs, the outer walls being interconnected along said line of fold; an inturned' fiap integralwith' the inner wall of each leg respectively, perpendicular thereto, and spaced from the lowermost edge thereof and from said line of fold; means on the flaps for attaching the same to the bottom of a gift box; and an upstanding wing integral with each leg respectively, the wings being coplanar with said outer wall whereby to embrace the proximal edges of a box carried by the support, there being a line of bend integrally joining the inner walls and the outer walls at the outer ends thereof, the inwardly facing ends of said inner walls being free and disposed adjacent said line of fold.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Boughton Feb. 11, 1908 Harter Mar. 6, 1917 Lion Nov. 13, 1928 Fraser Mar. 20, 1934 Moecker Apr. 24, 1934 Pennebaker May 16, 1950 Chatfield Aug. 29, 1950 Frye Apr. 14, 1953 

